Grammatical Riddles from Jain Works

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Z_Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_1_002105.pdf and Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_2

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Nalini Balbir
Jambū-jyoti
*... prayoga-nipunaih kah sabda-dhātuh smrtah? (madguravojinesvarasürayah; JP 159)
... Which is the root for 'to emit a sound that the people versed in the correct use of language have taught ? - ras : cf. Palsule 1955, 195 s.y. sabde.
*ko dhātur gamane ? (P 7)
... What is the root for 'to go'? - mimu : cf. ama drama hamma mimr gam gatau quoted by the avacuri on P = Pān Dhātup. 1.493-496; compare Hemac. Dhātup 1.392-396 : ama drama hamma mimr gamlrm gatau. Here the choice has to be compatible with the last question of the stanza vidito vargäntya-varnaś ca kah? which directs towards a root beginning with the letter m
* ko dhatur yada resane ? (P 11)
Say, what is the root for 'to yell'? - ri : cf. ri resane ri-dhātuh of the avacūri, reminding of Pān. Dhātup. 9.30 ri gati-resanayoh (and Hemac. Dhātup. 3. 18 rims gati-resanayoh); Palsule 1955, 190.
In our next two examples, the standard straightforward wording is replaced by something less expected, but quite usual in the context of riddles :
*... atho khādad-grhītāvadat : "kidrg bhati saro 'rhataś ca sadanam ?"...(jinavallabhena; JP 160)
And the root 'to eat' together with the root 'to take' said : "How does a lake look beautiful ? And how does a Jain temple look beautiful"...
As a matter of fact, in riddles anybody or anything, whether an object, an abstract entity, or even a word, can be the grammatical subject of a verb meaning 'to speak'. This has an impact on the reply, which will in turn be addressed to these speakers, now in the vocative form. This is another way to demonstrate one's own ability in the field of grammar by building vocative forms of monosyllabic words or artificial compounds. Thus here, the answer will be :
Root 'o eat' together with root 'to take' ! adorned with lotuses (does a lake look beautiful) and full of Jinas (does a Jain temple look beautiful) : al-la, vana-ji (i.e. secondary derivative with the possessive suffix -in from vana-ja “otus"), jina-vat.